Category: Life according to Angela

Discovery

A few weeks after Mark’s Prom, I discovered a backpack he had carried that evening in a corner of our mudroom. There were a few objects still inside, and I smiled to see some of what he had collected in order to be prepared: antacids, safety pins (only one remained when the evening was over), toys for entertainment if they had a long wait at the restaurant, snacks, a toothpick, a pencil, and dental flossers for braces. He also carried an umbrella and some other things.

I took a picture to remind myself that Mark knows how to prepare for a journey and that he knows how to take care of himself and others. This is a comfort to me.

The work of Primary

This is a door to the Primary room in the old church building in Provo that I attended as a child. Last July, I took some time to walk the halls and open the doors of classrooms I inhabited year after year, one by one.

I don’t remember my Primary teachers’ names, but I can recall the words of the Primary songs that we were taught. I remember this room as it used to be, with its beautiful miniature wooden pews and a small rostrum where children gave talks. Today, all of those pews and the rostrum are gone, and stacking chairs have replaced the beautiful light wood benches. All that is left of the original woodwork are these doors with funky yellow glass. And yes, I remembered this beautiful double door. It’s odd to me that I remember the setting more than the people who served me as a child, but it helps me realize what is most important when working with children.

My ministry to Primary leaders filters down to the children who receive a benefit without realizing it. The children of our stake don’t know my name, but I pray for them, faithfully. They won’t remember my face, but they will remember the songs we taught them. They won’t remember every lesson given by their teachers, but I believe they will remember these classes were safe and happy places. And they will walk out the doors of their own Primary rooms with the gospel of Jesus Christ in their hearts, just as I did as a child. This is the work of Primary.

Just a list today

Enjoyed: an evening at Young Women’s camp with the bishopric.

Finished: 18 pages of visa application forms and instructions with Mark.

Played: a piano and violin duet on Sunday with Mark at church.

Wrote: a song for Primary Day Camp for guitar, voices, and percussion.

Struggling with: sleep while Richard has been away at Young Men’s camp.

Looking forward to: Mark’s senior piano recital.

Preparing: pepperoni rolls for dinner.

Loving: strawberry season.

Reading: The Count of Monte Cristo.

Collecting: so many screenshots of our grandson during video calls. 😍

Procrastinating: weeding the back flower bed.

A current favorite Book of Mormon phrase: “Publish peace.”

And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth.

Mosiah 27:37

Meanwhile, in Provo…

Tim is working for my dad this summer as a yard pro, maintaining 30 yards.

I went to a birthday celebration for Thora, and here we are, a few of the old gang together again. I love both of these dear friends. I watched Julie move through the crowd being recognized by many people because of her ads on BYUtv. Thora, aka Sally O’Malley, did indeed kick, stretch, and kick because she is 50 years old.

minimum effective dose

One strategy I use for achieving goals is the idea of a “minimum effective dose.” Let’s say I want to improve my consistency in reading, so I set a small, attainable daily goal that I will read one page. Some days I may only read one page, but I have achieved the goal simply by opening the book for a few minutes. Most days I am likely to read more than one page because I am already reading a little bit and I’m not intimidated and paralyzed by a huge goal. I learned this concept from Benjamin McEvoy for improving reading but I use this strategy in many other areas of my life. Here are a few examples:

Housework: ten minutes to clean the kitchen or I make one improvement.

Scripture study: each day, read until I feel the Spirit and find something for me.

Violin practice: play one song.

Writing: write something each day. It can be a journal entry, a note, a blog post, a few words in my book…anything.

I am amazed at how well this works for me.

Luke 6:38

I will be playing my violin with a Primary choir for Mother’s Day this year. On Sunday I practiced with them for the first time. I had spent some time transposing the music for my instrument, so it was good to hear that my work was okay. My accompaniment is not difficult to play and the notes are understated and mild, but I had taken some time to get it just right.

When I stood at the front of the room full of children and saw their faces as they sang with my violin and the piano, the abundance in this reward was overwhelming. No money or praise can match the wide-eyed wonder, the heartfelt effort in their voices, and the generosity in their facial expressions. I want to remember these faces forever. I also want my giving to be more like theirs.

Primary children teach me every single week what it means to be a disciple of Christ.

Last studio recital

Last night was Mark’s last piano recital with his studio. He will have a solo recital next month, so I am grateful that we have one more moment where we can see him shine as he plays the piano. I can’t count the number of recitals we have attended over the last 18 years, but I can tell you that Bridget’s recitals were the best.

Mark played the Chopin Impromptu No. 1 in A-flat with maturity and skill. It was a great event to inaugurate a month of celebrations for Mark, our high school senior.

Two unforgettable paintings

This is a screenshot from a lecture on YouTube. It shows two versions of works by Van Gogh. The piece on the left was painted outdoors and analysis has shown his materials and the order that he added colors. Plein air painting has its drawbacks, including wind and changes in lighting, so he had to work quickly. Notice how vibrant the colors are on the left painting.

The painting on the right was done in his asylum studio, away from the elements, after the painting on the left was finished. The image on the right is more harmonious and less vibrantly colored.

I saw these paintings at the Met last summer displayed side by side and they are really memorable to me. I immediately liked the more brightly colored one and assumed that the more muted painting reflected the sadness of the asylum where he painted it. But that’s not how the artist saw things.

First: Wheat Field with Cypresses, September 1889

Van Gogh said that the less vibrant painting, the second version, was the definitive work. After learning more about both paintings, I can see that the more muted painting is more intentional and refined. The wind in the cypresses is more evident in the second one, too.

Second: A Wheatfield, with Cypresses, September 1889

With art, we can like what we like, but learning more about the artist’s process has helped me to appreciate the qualities of both versions.

15

This weekend marks 15 years of writing this blog, and I’m taking a minute to celebrate this personal accomplishment. I have written steadily during these years and produced more than 2,300 posts.

There are periods when I get tired of blogging, and I have planned my exit so many times. If you see a post called, “So long, farewell,” you will know that I no longer feel the call to share. ✌️

I am insecure about my content all of the time. It would be easier to keep my words in a personal journal, but that isn’t the point. You are the point. You are the intended audience. Writing this blog is my version of placing a note in a bottle and throwing it into the ocean to see who will find it. I hope that you find something joyful here.